Stars of Netflix’s ‘The Upshaws’ & ‘Family Reunion’ on the Importance of Comedy (VIDEO)
It’s been a rough year, but sitcoms like The Upshaws and Family Reunion are there to provide laughter through the tough times.
The stars of these Black sitcoms are coming together for a special featurette reflecting on the importance of comedy and lean back viewing, and we have your exclusive first look. In the segment, above, The Upshaws‘ Mike Epps, Wanda Sykes, and Kim Fields join Family Reunion‘s Tia Mowry-Hardrict and moderator Jaques Morel for a fun chat.
“We about to be the Fred Sandfords and Carltons to these young kids,” Mike Epps says of the role his upcoming show could play in viewers’ lives as the sitcom is expected to arrive May 12. “I hope so,” Wanda Sykes adds, echoing Epps’ statement.
The upcoming comedy co-created by Regina Hicks and Sykes focuses on a Black working class family living in Indianapolis. Epps and Fields play mom and dad to a gaggle of kids and Sykes plays the live-in sister-in-law.
“Honestly, they really really help people live,” Epps added of comedy’s impact. “There’s so much fear in the world, people are scared to be themselves, people don’t want to talk, so this show, right here, we’re letting it out. We’re showing everybody that everybody is loved,” Epps teases of The Upshaws.
Family Reunion (Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX)
“Making a difference could just be putting a smile on someone’s face,” Mowry-Hardrict adds. “Making someone laugh at a joke, you know, especially in today’s times. Right now we’re all going through a lot.”
In order to offset the difficult times, Netflix is putting on a Black Sitcom Squares Clubhouse Event for fans to participate in. The activation featuring Dad, Stop Embarrasing Me‘s Porscha Coleman, Family Reunion‘s Talia Jackson, The Upshaws‘ Page Kennedy, and The Game‘s Wendy Raquel Robinson will include a spin-off game of the classic Hollywood Squares where fans will compete in a game of tic tac toe for a chance to win a $500 gift card to Black Owned Everything.
The event slated for 9/8c on Friday, May 7 will be hosted by Clubhouse influencer Affion Crockett and DJ Cory Townes. Make sure to check it out, as well as the fun featurette above before The Upshaws premieres on Netflix.
The Upshaws, Series Premiere, Wednesdays, May 12, Netflix
